Fourth Pierson Hood member sentenced for role in arson that killed woman, young daughter

Kokona Vaughn and her 7-year-old daughter were killed after by an arson fire at the Westwood Manor apartment complex in Mt. Morris Township in September 2005. File Photo

FLINT, MI -- A Pierson Hood member involved in an arson
fire that killed a Mt. Morris Township mother and her 7-year-old daughter was sentenced
to probation and time served in jail after authorities said his cooperation was
paramount in convicting the other gang members involved in the killings.

Robert Pendleton Jr., 32, of Flint, was sentenced Tuesday,
July 16, by Genesee Circuit Judge Joseph J. Farah to one year in jail and one year
probation after pleading guilty to manslaughter for his role in the deaths of Kokona
Vaughn and her daughter, Ze'ona Burress.

Pendleton was initially charged with conspiracy, two
counts of first-degree murder, arson of a dwelling house and felony firearms and
faced spending the remainder of his life in prison. Prosecutors agreed to
drop the charges in return for his cooperation in convicting three other men in
the deaths.

"I learned my lesson," Pendleton said before his sentence
was handed down. "I'm ready to move on with my life."

Pendleton said he has a home and job waiting for him out
of state.

Farah sentenced
Garner Wood, 35, June 26 to 14 years, 8 months to 22 years in prison and
Deandre Chambers, 29, June 27 to 14-22 years in prison for their roles in the
deaths. Samuel L. Wood, 31, of Flint, was
sentenced July 8 to 14 years, 8 months to 22 years in prison after pleading
no contest to second-degree murder for the killings.

Prosecutors said the four men set fire to the apartments
to flush out Gregory Baines, who they believed was in the building. The Pierson
Hood members were outside of the apartment ready to shoot Baines when he fled,
prosecutors said.

Prosecutors allege that the Pierson Hood members were
trying to kill Baines in retaliation for the killing of the boyfriend of the
Wood brothers' sister, Alvin Hicks.

However, Pierson Hood witnesses have
testified that the fire was started at the wrong building. Vaughn and
Burress were killed when they were trapped on the third floor.

Baines, 26, and Curtis Wade Jr., 24, were shot and killed
by gang members outside Club
Xclusive the following day.

Pendleton also pleaded guilty to manslaughter for his role
in the club killings. He also received a one-year time-served jail sentence and
probation Tuesday for his role in that incident.

Assistant Genesee County Prosecutor Karen Hanson said that
Pendleton was not a shooter at either of the incidents and emphasized the
importance of his testimony that helped to convict a number of the nearly three
dozen gang members and associates.

Farah agreed with the prosecutor's assessment when
handing down his sentence, adding that Pendleton "really wasn't the boss of
anything in this outfit."

State sentencing guidelines called for Pendleton to serve
roughly three-and-a-half years in prison. However, he already served nearly two
years in the Genesee County jail awaiting trial on the fire charge and nearly three years
on the club killing.

A second man, Marquan Cager, was also sentenced to a year
of time served in jail and one year of probation after pleading guilty to
manslaughter for his role in the club killings.

Like Pendleton, Hanson said Cager was not one of the
shooters during the incident.

"Thank you for the opportunity to change my life," Cager
told Farah. He added that he intended to put criminal activity behind him and
move out of state.

Both men could still face prison time if they violate the
terms of their probation.